Coriander - An Ancient Herb for Modern Times
Lately, I’ve been all about Coriander Seed essential oil. The freshly crushed seeds are distilled to release a sweet, woody, floral-balsamic aroma quite similar to rare and endangered Rosewood. Warming, slightly spicy-peppery and sensual, the aroma of Coriander calms and uplifts the spirit. The essential oil aids digestion and liver health, helps with muscular aches and pains, and is a tonic for the nervous system. Energetically, Coriander can encourage creativity, expression, and optimistic outlook.
Coriander is the seed of the Cilantro plant – although they smell nothing alike. It’s fairly easy to obtain some fresh seeds after your Cilantro plant bolts in the garden. You can harvest the seeds while they are still green and fresh or wait until they turn brown (my preference). Let them dry on a tea towel or basket tray for about a week, then store in an airtight container. Crack or grind them with a mortar and pestle before adding to recipes such as soups, stews, and curries.
Native to Europe and western Asia, Coriander is one of the oldest known herbal remedies and spices. The seeds have been found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, were popular with ancient Hebrews, Greeks and Romans, are mentioned in the Bible, and are a part of traditional medicine from many different cultures including Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Today, infusions (teas) made with the seeds are commonly used as a soothing digestive aid throughout Turkey, North Africa, Saudi Arabia, and China, to name a few.
Applied topically over the abdominal and liver area and lower back, the essential oil can help with stimulating digestion, easing the stomach, and relieving bloating, cramps, distention, gas and nausea. As a calming tonic for the nervous system, it can help with mental fatigue and nervous exhaustion as well as ease anxiety and headaches. In Chinese medicine, Coriander helps to circulate Qi and disperse Cold, and this may help ease muscular and nerve pain and improve circulation. Support for digestion, nerves, and pain? Count me in!
This month I’m enjoying a grounding and strengthening daily body oil with Coriander Seed, Atlas Cedar and Rose Absolute in a base of Argan Oil. Cedar adds its sweet, woody balsamic aroma, grounding and protective properties, and helps to decongest lymph. Rose Absolute adds her divine floral aroma and helps to ease stress, boost the mood, balance hormones, protect the liver, and is a tonic for just about every system of the body (honestly, it’s difficult to find something that Rose won’t help with). And I love Argan as a carrier oil! It’s a lot like almond oil but more sustainable and shelf stable, plus it helps support women’s co-ops in Morocco who are the main producers of the oil.
The best time to apply a therapeutic body oil is right after emerging from the shower or bath, but BEFORE you have towel dried. Applying an oil when the skin is still quite wet allows a small amount of oil to cover a larger body area and absorb quickly, leaving the skin silky smooth and not greasy. After the oil has been applied and massaged into the skin, then pat skin dry with a towel. Here’s my recipe if you’d like to try:
Coriander Rose Body Oil
2oz Argan Oil
12 drops Atlas Cedar essential oil
8 drops Rose Absolute
4 drops Coriander Seed essential oil
Mix in 2oz pump or dropper bottle, preferably glass. Apply daily or after bathing to damp skin, making sure to cover lower back, abdomen, and chest. Enjoy!
If you’d like to learn more, I offer public classes as well as custom private aromatic parties and events. Or book a private session with me to get personalized assistance through my Soul-Level Healing and Botanical Alchemy holistic approach.
Sources:
The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy, 3rd ed., Vol. I, Salvatore Battaglia, 2018, pp. 254-258.
The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, Julia Lawless, 2013, pp. 77-8.